NEW MANN IN TOWN?The Jets have already reached out to representatives for Peyton Manning, which could signal the end for incumbent quarterback Mark Sanchez. “I don’t know if he’ll handle it well,” running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. Photo: AP

NEW MANN IN TOWN?: The Jets already reached out to representatives for Peyton Manning which could signal the end for incumbent quarterback Mark Sanchez. “I don’t know if he’ll handle it well,” former teammate LaDainian Tomlinson said. (
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The Jets wasted no time jumping into the Peyton Manning fray Wednesday, placing a call to his representatives shortly after the star quarterback became a free agent, according to a source.

The Colts released Manning on Wednesday afternoon, and he appeared on the NFL waiver wire shortly after 4 p.m. The Jets reached out to gauge Manning’s interest a short time later.

The Dolphins, Seahawks, Cardinals, Chiefs, Broncos and Redskins also are expected to pursue Manning.

The situation is a delicate one for Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum, who has a law degree, but a psychology degree might serve him better.

Tannenbaum has to walk a fine line in how hard the Jets go after Manning. If the Jets make a huge push and fail to land Manning, what does that do to the confidence of incumbent quarterback Mark Sanchez?

Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson appeared on NFL Network last night and said the Jets would be a good fit for Manning. He also said Sanchez will be upset if the Jets sign the veteran quarterback.

“In my opinion, I don’t know if he’ll handle it well,” Tomlinson said. “He’ll probably go in and maybe ask to be released. Here’s Mark Sanchez’s gripe: ‘I took you guys to two straight AFC Championship games. … So how can you turn around and just bring in another quarterback?’ Rightfully so, he will be a little mad. That’s all a part of it.

“I do know one thing: This is a good fit for him,” Tomlinson said of Manning. “The Jets already have a very good offensive line, a good receiving corps — obviously headed by Santonio Holmes, Dustin Keller at tight end. This is a team that, offensively, they run the ball really well. This is a team that if they get Peyton Manning, that division it could be scary.”

The Jets are saying nothing publicly about Manning. Privately, they have had discussions about pursuing the biggest free agent in NFL history. But sources said there is some trepidation about making a splashy pursuit of Manning and falling short. Sanchez has backers inside the organization who believe the Jets should stick to their plan around him.

The Jets will do everything they can to keep their dealings with Manning quiet. But if he begins to make the rounds to visit with teams, that could be tough to do.

“If you do this, your intentions have to be that you’re all in,” said former Jets coach Herm Edwards, who is now an ESPN analyst. “You need to get him because if not, I think the repercussions of how this is going to affect Mark Sanchez are big. It’s one of those deals.”

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Sanchez never has been doubted publicly by anyone in power with the Jets. If anything, they have bent over backwards to boost him. By chasing Manning, they are showing they do not have as much faith in Sanchez as they have portrayed.

“If you think you can win with Sanchez, you go with him and you keep going that way and you keep building the football team,” said former general manager Charley Casserly, who is now a CBS analyst. “If you’re the Redskins and don’t have a quarterback, that’s a whole other issue. Even if you get one, you’ve still got to develop him. Everybody’s got to be in, if you do that one.”

Sanchez, the Jets’ first-round pick in 2009, most likely would be gone if Manning is signed. Some people have floated the idea of Sanchez backing up Manning. But Sanchez will count $14.2 million against the salary cap this year, a hefty price for a backup. The Jets also might need the $9 million in cap savings they would get by releasing Sanchez in order to sign free agents to surround Manning. They currently have about $8 million in cap space.

There has been speculation that former Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore, who was a Jets consultant in 2011, could help lure Manning to the Jets. But Moore confirmed yesterday the Jets have not contacted him about returning this year. Moore, who watched Manning throw at Duke last week, declined to comment on his former quarterback.